Ploy
by yume-chan29
Summary: DISCONTINUED When exactly did pretending to be someone's girlfriend, even if he is probably the devil incarnate, to make someone else jealous, even if he is as emotionally stunted as a 5 year old, become so darn difficult! Rath x Cesia x Bierrez


**Ploy****  
By: yume-chan29**

**Standard Disclaimers Apply.**

**A/N: **I always wanted to do something like this. XD.

**Dedicated to: **HeartKreuz-chan. TOLD you, I'd get it out.

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**Part 1: The Beginning**

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_Damn it._

This. Was. Bad.

This was deceitful. This was treacherous. This was underhanded, traitorous, desperate, absolutely insane! If she didn't call it quits right NOW, she was, without a doubt, going to suffer within the innermost depths of hell when she died, with no plausible hope for salvation.

She was to be remembered by future generations as the Dragon Castle's evil fortune telling wind witch _monster_ who toyed with people's hearts and ruined their very livelihoods.

No one would care about her. No one would dare to remember her. No one would love her. And she'd grow old alone. Bitter. With only the dust bunnies that attacked her untouched furniture for company.

This was _low_. And considering just what she'd done in the past, that was seriously saying something.

A breathed curse reverberated on the pale walls, traveling upwards and echoing faintly on the high ceilings.

Even with the notion in mind, the click of her velvet boots against the Dragon Castle's sleek marble floors never halted.

Cesia sighed exasperatedly. She never was one really to choose the "right path" over the road her heart called to. Albeit, obstacle rigged and bumpy.

Her conscience was struggling valiantly against her unmoral desire.

And undoubtedly losing.

A head of fire orange locks appeared in her line of view and she gulped. How eerie. Orange. Fire. Hell. Her damnation. She gulped again.

And she was still not turning back.

The young woman walked up to him in slow careful strides. She rested her forearms on the stone barricade he'd been leaning on and he turned his emerald gaze onto her.

He grinned lightly, "Cesia."

Smiling nervously under his look, she replied as evenly as possible, "Hey Bierrez."

Silence.

But from the corner of her golden eyes, she could tell he was smirking. She inwardly fumed.

In that oh-so smug manner of his, he turned around, pressing the heels of his palms of the ledge's ridges. In an even smugger tone, he asked, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

She wanted to hit him for making her almost blush, but kept face, responding cheekily, "Your lucky stars, I suppose."

They shared a smile, and she relaxed a bit. _Casual_. Keep everything casual. "I actually just wanted to talk."

He raised a skeptic eyebrow, "Really."

"Yeah." She avoided his gaze. Lying obviously, but knowing he knew her, he probably already knew that.

"So, how've you been?" She played, _casually_ of course, with her fingernails. "I mean, how's being the Red Dragon Officer? Taking orders and complying to rules must be _fun_ for you, ne?"

He snickered lightly, "Yeah. Sure. If by 'fun', you mean god damn trying." He smirked again. "But as long as you're within the vicinity, _my queen_, I think I can manage."

She didn't know whether to burst with laughter or fury.

He winked. _Fury_. Definitely fury.

"Shut up." Much to her chagrin, she reddened, her thoughts about her genius plan, changing. Now, it wasn't an issue of morality. It was more like, was she really so intent on her goal, she'd turn to _this_ guy for help?

He was indeed qualified for the job. They had a history, which would make circumstances understandable and unsuspicious. He was smooth. An easy liar and therefore, a damn efficient actor. Then there was his inherent sneakiness and demonic tendencies. Plus, considering how the two men had been enemies once before, Cesia knew he wouldn't mind shaking up their somewhat 'civil' relationship.

_Perfect_.

But therein laid her uneasiness. The qualities made him dangerous, untrustworthy. Not to mention, he had that uncanny ability to embarrass her. He used it. Often.

The wind witch unnoticeably shifted her weight from foot to foot, shutting her eyes in thought.

Did she really want to ask _him_?

A sudden flash of blood red eyes behind her eyelids and she knew the answer.

"So." Keep it casual. Keep it casual. Keep it casual. "How about your life outside work? Still the single, antisocial bastard I met all those years ago?"

He answered slyly, chuckling, "Pretty much."

Good. She thought, grinning. Single. Unattached. _Easy_.

"So what have you been doing with your free time, then?" She motioned to the garden view in front of her, "Looking at the pretty flowers, I bet."

"Hn. I like to think of it as 'observing plant life for leisurely purposes.'"

She giggled despite herself. "Yeah. Sure."

Silence again.

Bierrez threw her a look and in a low, languid voice said, "You know, Cesia. I never knew you to be one for beating around the bush."

Her eyes widened visibly. She ran a shaky hand through her violet bangs and down through ebony hair. "W...what are you talking about?"

He clucked his tongue in mock disappointment and her brows knitted with his lack of directness. He then wondered aloud, "So how are you and Rath doing?"

And Cesia ungraciously choked. They locked views, hers unbelieving and plate-sized and his infuriatingly cocky. He'd asked the question so suggestively, so deviously innocent...

It was as if he _knew_ something.

_But how...How did he? How much did he...?_

"...Wha...?"

He coughed out a quick, "How articulate." Then he chuckled, "I mean as _friends_, of course."

Cesia wanted to roll her eyes. He was being so blatantly obvious.

She gave him a noncommittal scoff, "Ok."

"Oh, really?" His deep green eyes were on her again, "Is that _all_?"

"Yeah, that's all!" Oh Dusis, was she blushing again? Damn this man, she thought, her knuckles whitening around her clenched fists. Damn him, Damn him, _DAMN_ him!

There was silence yet again.

And she remembered how she was supposed to be acting casual. An unbidden, hypothetical conversation ran through her mind:

_There they were, smiling and whatnot. A question in her tone would voice itself automatically, "Oi, Bierrez? Do you know the forecast today?"_

_Then he'd respond with an unusual grin, "Sunny for the most part, why?"_

_"Oh nothing. Thanks." She'd then turned to leave. Before making her departure she'd offhandedly spin around and ask him, with perfect, practiced casual-ness, "Oh, and by the way, would you mind pretending to be my boyfriend for a month or two to make Rath, the idiot who still won't notice me, jealous?"_

Cesia wanted to slap herself. Oh yeah. Because her question had _just_ the same simplicity as asking about the weather did.

Cesia rubbed a temple.

_Screw casual._

"Ok! OK!" She nearly screamed, causing shock to engrave upon the yokai's usually reserved features. She got up off her arms and stood defiantly, determinedly, directly in front of him, "So we're not as _ok_ as I want us to be!"

He raised an eyebrow, allowing her to continue.

"Do you remember what you said to me? The day after we all had returned to the Dragon Castle and you were officially dubbed Red Dragon Officer?"

A quick nod, reassured her. "You said that you 'owed me one' for resurrecting you." Cesia didn't mean to sound conceited, but her haughty person wasn't allowing her any guilt at the moment.

There really was no turning back.

He shook his head again, still in slight surprise with the seriousness of her countenance. "Well, I know the perfect way for you to pay me back."

At this point in her speech, she paused and minute nervousness, pink embarrassment, and sketchy determination all rolled in one affected her mannerisms. She was shifting her feet again, her golden orbs refusing to meet his emerald ones.

"I...want to make him jealous." Her tone had changed. Had gone from raving mad to something remotely collected.

She courageously took his hands in hers in a silent plea.

"Bierrez. Please pretend to be my boyfriend."

Her cheeks were heating up again, she knew. But his reaction totally floored her. It took him a mere _9_ seconds to register her request before he grinned cunningly.

Swooping down, he clutched her waist loosely and kissed her.

And it was at that moment (well, after she slapped him for being too forward, anyway), their 'relationship' commenced.

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**TBC**

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**A/N: **Only three parts (or perhaps four) to this story! Hopefully, I can go through with finishing it…unlike how I've been neglecting my other chapter stories. –sweatdrop-

**Review!**


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